Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma named Western Conference Rookie of the Month

The Lakers' Kyle Kuzma was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month for November on Friday. Through his first 20 games, the forward averaged 16.7 points and 6.1 rebounds while shooting 50 percent from the field. (Photo by Jae C. Hong, The Associated Press)

EL SEGUNDO — Kyle Kuzma found himself locked in a shooting competition on Friday with an unexpected challenger.

Assistant coach Miles Simon, his usual counterpart in the regular competition alongside Lonzo Ball, was working on another basket with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. So Luke Walton stepped in to team with assistant coach Brian Shaw for a game of “around the world.”

“We won,” Walton said. “I don’t know if that’s good or bad.”

If there was a day Kuzma could withstand some light teasing, it was Friday. Following practice, he was informed that he had been named the Western Conference Rookie of the Month for his performance throughout November, just the second Lakers rookie to win the award since its inception in 1981-82.

He also became the sixth non-lottery pick to win the award in the first month of the season.

“It’s pretty cool for sure,” Kuzma said. “I wish I was Rookie of the Month and we had a winning record too. That would probably be even better. It’s definitely a great accomplishment, especially the first one of the season.”

Through his first 20 games, Kuzma averaged 16.7 points and 6.1 rebounds while shooting 50 percent from the field. Ben Simmons, the first overall pick in the 2016 draft who missed all of last season with an injury, was the Eastern Conference honoree.

Kuzma missed Wednesday’s loss to Golden State because of back spasms. He was expected to be limited in Friday’s practice but as the session wore on he felt good enough to keep going.

After flying to Denver with the Lakers on Friday, Kuzma will be reassessed prior to Saturday’s game against the Nuggets. If his back stiffens, Walton said, the Lakers will rest him to prepare for Sunday’s home game against Houston.

His official status for Saturday night is “questionable.”

Kuzma has been a lightning bolt for the rebuilding Lakers, emerging as their most NBA-ready rookie while point guard Lonzo Ball, the No. 2 overall pick, has experienced more significant up and downs.

Ball was among the players nominated for the November honor after averaging 9 points, 7 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game.

While Kuzma, the 27th pick, said he did not plan on making too big of a deal about winning a league-wide award before Ball, his best friend on the team, he dropped in, “I probably will say it.”